With all the factors that can botch human attempts to grow food, it’s impressive we ever moved past hunting and gathering.
My recent experience growing vegetables reminds me why I prefer growing flowers.
We elevated our planting area to keep plants away from gophers and moles. Just when the kale was looking tender and tasty, cabbageworms made those plants their edible home. Earwigs sneak in at night. When I’m at work, birds swoop down and nip at young sprouts.
After all of that, it’s so much easier to bring several dollars down to the farmers market. Farmers must have magic spells that help them food grow.
CURIOUS AND CURIOUSER
This week my boyfriend Dave called and said he spotted a white rabbit among our potted plants.
I guess I just didn’t believe him, or didn’t believe something cute and cuddly could be a problem.
Later he called and said the rabbit had climbed into the black fabric pot where some spinach managed to grow.
In broad daylight?
Where was our cat?
I asked for photos.
This was not a scrappy, tan-colored jack rabbit with gangly legs and ears. This fluffy white bunny must have escaped from a neighbor kid’s 4-H pen.
I think we all understand why the rabbit made a mad dash and headed to my yard. The critter could clearly smell that something green and edible was growing nearby.
Heather Hacking-Enterprise-Record There’s a new pet in town, this one a bunny that apparently likes my yard better than its own. The attraction may very well have something to do with young spinach plants .Moving on up
The precise reason that I purchased black fabric pots is that they are lightweight and portable. The leafy vegetables in pots can be moved onto pedestals high enough to frustrate the white rabbit.
We had dinner with friends Robert and Marie this week. The couple moved to a new home recently. Marie was proud of her new yard, and quite willing to give me a tour via flashlight.
When you move to a new home its not a bad idea to go to Habitat for Humanity’s ReStore every week. You’re bound to find something you need.
In the case of our friends, they picked up some older kitchen drawers and filled them with dirt.
The drawers were placed on top of boards that are balanced on two sawhorses.
Marie bought lettuce starts, now growing undisturbed by the myriad of perils that exist in my yard.
PLANTS UNDER CONTROL
Meanwhile, it’s a little bit easier to control the growing environment indoors.
Recently my mom and I split a big bag of Costco paperwhites, Narcissus Ziva. They’re billed as extra large, and I must say these bulbs are as big as daffodil bulbs. Many of them have attached bulblets.
Paperwhites are known for being grown indoors. You can use a shallow container filled with just a bit of soil, or fill shallow containers with pebbles and water. No drainage holes.
Last weekend I scored some white ceramic containers at the thrift store. These are for baking very small loaves of bread, and still had a sticker on the bottom from Michael’s.
Next, I hit the dollar store for several bags of small, clean stones.
Because of the large size of the bulbs, I could only fit three into each small container.
To grow paperwhites, place the stones about 1-2 inches deep in the dish, then add the bulbs, with the wide section touching the pebbles. Add more stones so the bulbs stay in place. Most people group the bulbs so they are almost touching.
Next, add water so it just barely covers the roots of the bulb. Too much water will rot the bulb. You’ll need to check the water level every few days, more often if your cat drinks from the containers.
After about three weeks, move the plant to a sunnier location. You may need to stake the flowers so they don’t flop over.
Note that when planted in water, the flowers are relying on the bulb for stored energy. Plan to toss the bulb after bloom.
